Blogging about life in Minnesota, raising our five kids with Down syndrome while battling Breast Cancer.

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor in the morning the devil says, "Oh shit! She's up!"

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

The Dog House

I love my dogs. Really, truly, I love each one of them. They entertain us as they entertain each other. They keep us centered, and they're very good at spending our money.

Rubee...she's the matriarch of the pack (but not the leader). At 6 1/2 years old her life is all about the sunniest spot on the driveway, where she'll spend most of the day. Since we're up on a hill she can watch the entire neighborhood from there, content as can be. Rubee also has a secret addiction to bread...whole loaves of it...and if it's not put waaaaay back on the kitchen counter it'll be gone when you want to make toast in the morning. Rubee is a Golden Retriever, with "retriever" being the operative word. Goldens are known for bringing "gifts" to you when you come home from work, or from walking down the driveway to get the mail. Sometimes the gifts are nice things like a dog toy, but she's not picky. A bra, dirty underwear, or an empty beer can will do. Here's Rubee, enjoying the driveway on a warm day a couple weeks ago. Notice that she found the only dry spot there was!

Dudley...Dudley is a 2 1/2 year old Goldendoodle (golden retriever/Standard Poodle cross) Dudley is deceptively huge. He's very tall (can lay his head on a kitchen table comfortably) but skin and bones underneath is fluffy coat. He's super smart and so eager to please! He's the dog you see in the agility video with Angela. He's a mama's boy, but loves to go to work with Dean too. As long as you're happy, he's happy. Dudley happens to love diet food, which I discovered when I was on Nutrisystem last year. Yep, that $300 a month shipment could disappear in a couple of days! No wonder he's so skinny, he's on a diet! Dudley is one of Rubee's sons, which means he inherited the retriever gene. Unfortunately he doesn't always bring you what he's found to steal. In the mornings when we let everyone outside we have to check his mouth first, as he's often hiding contraband in his giant mouth. You wouldn't believe what he can fit in there! Hiding works two ways though, so he's very good at sneaking things INTO the house too...like dean things. Sometimes he forgets he's hiding stuff in his mouth though. Either that or he decides he doesn't want to give it up, so he swallows it. Yep, I've discovered doing poop patrol that little girl socks make a tasty treat. So does aluminum foil.

(left, Zurri in front, Dudley in back)

Zurri....Zurri is the princess, and is the leader of the pack. She's an 18 month old standard poodle, and future mom here at our place. (she'll have her first litter sometime around October 2008) Being a teenager, Zurri has recently regressed to a 6 month old puppy stage and can hardly contain herself. My well-trained princess can now go from standing still with all 4 feet on the ground, to springing straight up in the air to look me in the eye. She's also learned something new. That if you run through the invisible fence, the shock only bothers you for a split second, and when you're ready to come back into the yard you just have to let out a special little bark and the human mom will come get you. But for all the silly things this highly intelligent dog does, she is the best cuddler in the world! She doesn't like anyone to be upset, weather they be human or beast. She spends hours every day cleaning all the other dogs (intensely licking their eyes, inside their ears and mouths, etc.) and would do the same to us if we let her.

(baby Roman trying to make sick Angela feel better.)

And then there is Roman. Roman is the new baby who isn't supposed to be here. He's SUPPOSED to be in a guardian home, but our arrangement fell through and so he's here with us. Roman is a 4 1/2 month old miniature red poodle, and a total clown. I didn't think it would ever be possible, but I think he's even smarter than Zurri. I can teach him any new command in about 30 seconds, and he was ringing the bell to go outside within 24 hours of my introducing it to him. Roman is also a puppy, which means he does puppy things like chew up whatever he can get his teeth on. His favorite chew toy is the dust pan, and even though it's bigger than him, he drags that thing all over the house. He's a mama's boy, only way worse than Dudley. If I close myself behind the door to do something like...say...go to the bathroom, he throws a tantrum outside the door. If I sit at the computer he runs to get the dust pan so he can lay at my feet and chew in peace. Roman is a theif though, and has discovered that Angela's room holds all kinds of treasures, most of which cause her to chase after him yelling, "Give it BACK you naughty boy!" Roman LOVES these games of course. Roman has also taught me that I'm at the computer a lot. The other day, while he was outside, I sat down on the couch. A couple minutes later when he barked at the door Dean let him in. I watched him run through the entry, down the hall and stick his head in the office door. What? No mom? But that's where I ALWAYS find her! He turned and looked in the bathroom, but when he didn't find me there either he got a puzzled look on his face, and stuck his head into the bedroom instead. No mom THERE EITHER? In a soft voice I called to him from the couch. He turned, saw me and came FLYING through the house as if he was saying, "Well THERE you are! I've been looking all over for you! I missed you!!!!"

Yes, our life is crazy with 4 dogs plus one kid in the house, but we like it that way!